"Don't judge us before we've even gone there. Look past us, and look at our children. Get to know us so you can feel safe."
"All we want is to have the chance to raise our kids the best we can, and He Korowai is giving us that opportunity," another prospective owner said.
"We want to be the best neighbours you've ever seen."
The trust's Whare Ora project (Much more than old houses from Auckland, Northland Age October 2) was built on a novel concept that chief executive Ricky Houghton hoped would be widely replicated. Nine homes had been transported from Auckland for the first stage, and would be massively upgraded inside and out over the coming months.
The property itself, at the end of Kohuhu Street, would become Maori land, status that would allow the trust access to the homes and their owners, and to enforce a set of criteria each owning family would agree to before moving in. Those criteria included that the families must be drug, alcohol and violence free.
Families who breached that agreement would be offered whatever support they needed, and if that didn't work their homes would be re-purchased by the trust, or they would have the option of transporting them elsewhere.
Those living within the property, which was to be fully landscaped and developed with communal areas, barbecues, gardens and the like, would also be expected to avail themselves of training opportunities, while their children - every family buying a home must have at least two and not more than eight - would attend a pre-school centre on-site.
As the children grew they would be expected to attend school on a daily basis.
The proposal has generated concerns amongst the residents of Kohuhu, Taupata and Grigg streets (which the property backs on to), several of those who spoke on Monday evening attributing that to a lack of communication. Mr Houghton accepted that that aspect of the development could have been handled better, and welcomed the suggestion that the residents appoint a liaison committee that would maintain contact with the trust, presenting any concerns so they might be resolved as quickly as possible.
Four people were appointed to that role, Mr Houghton saying they would have access to any information they required, and that the trust would spare no effort in ensuring that it, and the families who would begin buying homes next year, were good neighbours.
Whare Ora, he added, had been designed in response to a pressing need for affordable housing in Kaitaia. The families who would buy the homes would be chosen with care, and, perhaps for the first time, would have the ability to buy homes of their own and enjoy the advantages that accompanied that.
He did not agree that the development would adversely affect the value of neighbouring homes, but undertook to address and, if possible, resolve every objection raised, from the safety of neighbours to the appearance of the houses. And he would always be keen to talk.
"I would much rather compromise than spend money on consultants," he said.
"We want to be good neighbours. We want to work through issues as they arise so we can find some common ground. And don't judge it by what you're seeing now. By February these will be beautiful homes.'
